IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^%^^ % % .<^V /. fA I/. -^ 1.0 IfiM IIM I.I 11.25 |56 U^^ "^ ISA M 2.2 2.0 lA ill 1.6 V] <^ /^ / uy^,. Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 « V iV \\ "% V ci^ M "V- ^- la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration. soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la dernidre image de cheque microf'che, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE " le syinbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de r6ducticn diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, ii est film6 & partir de I'anyle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. n 3:x 1 2 3 4 5 6 MONTREAL NORTHERN /l COLONIZATION RAILWAY. REPORT ON EXTENSION FROM ,.2f UOK-r •> . , AYLMER WESTWARD. CHS. LEGGE, Esquire, CHIEF SiraillESS, U. IT, c. s, ->-♦>-<- MONTREAL: "Gazette" PruNTiNC House, nearly opposite the post office. 1873. tl ol B P« of Wi ai tu CO M wi th Ui th wi Hi ffi let of Ye SOI Gc th( asf M( ab< of th( Ba ml att of of Co the in at I Pn gre ace eaa ing the MONTREAL NORTHERN COLONIZATION RAILWAY. MoNTEBAL, 3rd April, 1873. Sir,— In accordance with instructions from the Vice-President, I have made a general exploration of the country on the north side of the Ottawa River from Aylmer to D'iep River, with the view of ascertaining If a practicable route can be had for an extension of the Montreal Northern Colonization Rail- way over the intervening distance. As you are aware the village of Aylmer, by an amended Act of the Provincial Legisla- ture of Quebec, passed In the year 1871, was constituted the Western Terminus of the Montreal Northern Colonization Railway, with an average land grant from Montreal to that place of ten thousand acres per mile. Under this arrangement of terminal point the road at Aylmer would be In connection with the Upper Ottawa navigation, and at Hull and Ottawa City a junction could be *flfected with the Canada Central Railway, leading in the direction of Pembroke, a point of considerable importance in the Ottawa Valley, but in the Province of Ontario, on the south side of the river. Supplementing the Government Land subsidy, municipal aid to the extent of $1,500,000 had been given to assist in constructing the line between Montreal and Aylmer, a total distance of about 128 miles. Such in brief were the position and policy of your company, up to a recent period, when the inception and inauguration of the Pacific Railway line with its eastern ter- minus at Lake Nipissing directed the attention of the Quebec Government and of your company to the possibility of an extension of the Montreal Northern Colonization Railway along the North side of theOttawa,to the greatest practicable distance in the Province of Quebec, crossing the river at a suitable point, and thence through the Province of Ontario to a junction with the great work. With this extension and union accomplished, your road would form the eastern link in the inter-oceanlc route,touch. Ing marine navigation at Montreal, and via the North Shore route from that city reach, ing the same at Quebec. Moved by the patriotic desire of securing the location of the railway to the greatest possible distance through the Province of Quoboc, in order to open up and colonize, as well as develop its vast timber, mineral, and other natural wealth, the Legislature passed an Act at its last session, voting a land grant of ten thousand acres per mile for an exten- sion of the Montreal Northern Colonization Railway from Aylmer to Deep River, or to such distance from Aylmer as the road might extend within the Province of Que- bec, Deep River referred to, is a long and navigable stretch or reach of the main Ot- tawa itself, and following the course of the stream is about 110 miles above Ottawa city, or say 230 miles north-west from Montreal. Until the recent exploration it was con- sidered doubtful if a line could be carried along the north side beyond Portage-du- Fort, a point following the river, about 57 miles above Ottawa, or 53 miles from Deep River. It was stated by many that the natu- ral obstacles to be overcome from the Portage up, if the Quebec route were followed, would prove insurmountable, and that consequent- iy from that point westerly the line would require to pass through the Province of On- tario to reach the Pacific terminus at Lake Nipissing. Having no dtfinite information on that point, and anticipating its probable truth, application was made to the County of Pon- tiac, through which the road would pass, for municipal aid to the extent of $150,000, or, assuming the distance from Aylmer to Portagc-du-Fort to be 50 miles, by the line to be followed, the sum of $3,000 per mile, the Company agreeing to push on the road ly the north shore of the Ottawa above Port- age du Fort as far as it can be found practi- cable both in an engineering and financial point of view. With this understanding, a By-Law granting $150,000 was passed by the Oonncil, and will Hj ratified b" the rate* payers on the th and 10th of the present month. The explorations since that time having established the feasibility of a good route to Deep River, and from the informa- tlon gained as to the public feeling generally, there is no doubt but the By-Law will be al- most unanimonsi/ sustained by the popular vote. Anticipating this favorable result, the selection of the route through the connty which, while keeping the interests of the Company in view, will likewise contribute in so far as possible to the greatest good of the largest number of inhabitants, beco nes a question of considerable importance. This selection, however, must finally be the result of careful instrumental examinations. In the meantime two distinct lines may be indicated and their relative merits glanced at. No. 1, or Front Route, may be described as leaving Aylmer and proceeding in the direction of Qaio, keeping on the lower plateau or level. From Quio, the general course will be in the direction of Clare idon Centre, an important business locality, and thence to Bryson, the county town striking the Ottawa at the latter place' and skirting its margin to either the outlet of Deep River, or to a point about five miles to the east, or within one mile of Fort William; both places being ad- vocated as suitable sites for bridging the Ottawa and carrying the road into Ontario. The first is comparatively narrow, but with a great depth of water. The second has a considerably greater distance between the extreme banks, but a large section of the space is occupied with islands, the water being also shallow with a rockv bottom, and therefore admirably adapted for the founda- tion of the bridge piers. This line pass-s over comparatively a level country, with little bridging or clearing to do. The cur- vature and earth work|will also be light, and a small amount of rock work encountered But few gullies, and those of small extent occur. ' While following the margin of the river for a considerable distance, at other places the line will be rt least six miles from it, owing to the crooked course of the stream • the proposed location will therefore, to a certain extent, combine the qualities of a front and rear route. The policy of touching the Ottawa with the raUway as frequently as circumstances will permit, in the interest of the company, may be supported by the fol- lowing considerations. For many years to come an immense trade in sawn lumber will exist, the saw-logs being obtained largely from the headwaters of the Ottawa and its tributarie- and floated down to conreaient points or bays along the river, where rail connection can be had. Steam saw mills will be erected at these favorable sites and cut the logs into lumber Ui the Canadian, American and other foreign markets, and then bo transported by rail to the reepec- tive destinations. A considerable traffic will also be drawn from the South or Ontario shore; al' o." which, together with the lum- ber trade would probably be lost, were the Railway /ocated eight or ten miles Inland from the river, with a rough country inter- vening. At many points on the Ottawa river there exists immense water power, which in course of time will be utilized, and large manufacturing towns spring up. A front location of the Montreal Colonization Railway will anticipate the extensive trafSo to be derived from those important poliits. The distance from Aylmer to the outlet of Deep River by this line, will be about one hundred miles. A'o. 2 or rear line will strike through the county from three to four miles to the north of Quio, Clarendon Centre and Brysou. It may either continue on an inland course to Deep River or strike the Ottawa bo me miles to the East and follow Line No. 1 to either point of crossing before referred to. From all I can learn with reference to this route the cost of construction per mile will act diflfer materially from that of Line No. 1. On the map it measures 96J miles, or 3* miles less than the competing front route, but from its inland poaition, no doubt has . to surmount a higher summit level between the two common objective points, Aylmer and Deep River. If this be so, the equation of the grades may produce a greater equality In lengths of the two routes than is indi- cated by the measured distance on the maps, or even on the ground. Assuming, on the other hand, that it may be 3} miles shorter, and of similarity in construction and equality in gradients, the difference in distance will effect a saving in first cost to the company of at least $70,000, and a large annual sum in transport of through freight. Whether such results will follow, or in the event of doing so, if they will counterbal- ance the advantages previously indicated for line No 1, can only be determined after a thorough and exhaustible instrumental sur- vey has been made, and all the rival merits carefully weighed and com- pared. In the mean time for our pre- sent purpose, it may be well to assume No ], and endeavour to form some opinion with reference to ite cost and financial posi- tion. Judging from the character of the country passed over, and its similarity in general features to the first division from ¥ 5 1^ Montreil t<» .^ylmer, an approximate eati- mato of the cost ot constraction, Including rolling-stock, station buildings, &c., may be placed at |30,000 por mile. Taking now the entire lenprth of line from Aylmer to outlet of Deep Riv(!r, so as to command the maximum of laud grant, we have, 100 miles by f 30,000 per mile equal $3,000,000 From this muBt be deducted the land grant, which at the lowest valuation should command $2 00 per acre, n rate recently obtained by the Qovernment for timber limits at public auction. 100 miles by 10,000 acres per mile, equal 1,000,000 acres at $2 per acre $2,000,000 Pontiac Municipal vote 150,000 $2,150,000 Leaving balance to be provided by issue of bonds of $850,000 This amount at 7 per cent, will require aa annual outlay to meet interest of, say $60,000. In sparsely settled new sections of the country it is considered a safe rule to assume that every individual of the population within a belt of fifteen miles on each side of the railway will contribute directly and In- directly the sum of $7 to the t.affic. From the census returns of 187,1 and 1871, the population of the County of Pon- tiac is placed at 15,810. To this should be added the Township of Eardly in the County of Ottawa, through which the road passes, numbering 1,120 ; and we have a total pop- nlation on the north side of the Ottawa, de- pendent on the road of 16,930, or say 17,000 souls. Applying the usual rule of $7 per head, the gross receipts from ordinary traffic will give $119,000 This will be the Postal route for the country above Otta- wa City, and should, with express receipts yield $1 00 a mile per annum, or 10,000 A region so rich in scenery, and as yet but little known, will during the summer months command a large In tourist travel, while a t other seasons of the year large numbers of lumber- men will pass over the road, to and from the shan- ties in the interior, and to- gether with the proportion of supplies which they will require and to bo transported over this line, we may confidenlly antici- pate that the through traf- fic from these various sources will amount to the usual proportion of J of the general traffic, or say. round numbers a total local gross revenue of . . . . 30,000 $169,000 $160,000 The low grades on this line, will render the working expenses comparatively light. We may therefore assume that 60 per cent of the gross earnings, or $96,000, will cover the cost, and deducted from the total receipts $160,000, there will be a balance to meet in- terest on bonds of $6t,000. It has been shown, however, that the in. terest account will amount to only $60,000, thus obtaining an annual surplus of earnings of $4,000, with ordinary legitimate local traffic alone considered, and without inclu- ding the revenue which will be derived irom transport of sawed lumber and m'nerals. With reference to the first o' these items, it would be difficult to establish a limit to the amount of business which will be brought into existence by the facilities for cheap and rapid transport to market, where none now exists. As Ru illustration, reference is made to the Brf v-lle and Ottawa road, running from the t..- St. Lawrence to Sand Point, a locality on t! e Ottawa River opposite our proposed railway. This line with a short branch to Perth, about 84 miles in ail, and just touching the great lumber district as it were, during the year 1872 received for freight on account of this item alone, the considerable sum of $83,521. Now, with the extension of the Montreal Northern Coloniz- ation Railway to a distance of 100 miles, parallel with or touching the Ottawa at many point?, and entirely through the lumber country, with a through route to Montreal of at least 40 miles shoiter than via the Brock- ville and Ottawa line it is p.nrel^ not ftflt'??iTn= ing too much to claim a far higher revenue from the transport of sawed lumber than the amount mentioned, or a sum exceeding the u iblaX estimated local troflac ($100,000) derived from otbur soarcea. No water competitor for this transport need bo anticipated for many yeors The Ottawa River is only navigable in roaches, with intervening yorla^et, around which tawed lumber cannot be profitably carried The artificial slides which convey the square timber or saw logs around these obstructions In the navigation, are not adapted for the passage of lumber which must therefore continue to be carried by rail. With the road In operation not only will manufactured pine be conveyed to mar- ket but all the various descriptions of hard- wood also. Important items of return freight, from the agricultural counties of Quebec, for the Upper Ottawa, will bo hay and coarse grain for the extensive lumber establishments of that district ; thus open- ing up a profitable market for the agricul- tural products jf such great producing coun- ties as Argenteuil, Two- Mountains and lerrebonne, and at the same time materially reducing the cost of those articles to the consumers in the interior. The recent discoveries of most extensive and valuable iron mines on the line of the proposed extension of the Montreal Northern Colonization Railway, will conduce most essentially to the prosperity and wealth of the country, and success of the road. These mines are now being opened up with the njost promising results, several of them fur- nishing or yielding over sixty per cent of Iron. Large deposits of super-phosphate of lime, excellent marbles, plumbago, and valu- able minerals of several descriptions, have also been found, proving this region to be one ot great richness, in addiUoa to its tim- ber wealth. For the transport of these ores to market or for the conveyance of coal to the mining localities for smelting purposes, the Montreal Northern Colonization Railway extension is an imperative necessity; without it, those mines of wealth must remain undeveloped the prosperity of the country generally, and that of the Ottawa Valley in particular will eufifer accordingly. It is thought that sufficient evidence has been advanced to establish the financial suc- cess of the enterprise, even when resting on local merits, without reference to its impor- tant function as a link in the Inter-oceanic chain from the Atlantic to the Pacific. What- ever fair amalgamation or running arrange- ments may be made betwenn iht* nanadi-n Pacific, and Montreal Northern'Colonization Roads, cannot but cocdace to the benefit of the latter by the vast through traffic which will flow over the rails and give a pro-rata profit to the company. In so far we have couHidercd the Montreal Northern Colonization Railway as termina- ting financially at Deep River. A petition la now before the Dominion Legislature for an extension ot the charter to Lake Nlpls- sing, and to some point touching the waters of Lake Huron, or the Sault Ste. Marie. Assuming for the present that the western terminal point will be in the neighbonrhoo